Hell's Love
by CountDimentio
Summary: Love can bloom anywhere... However, it seems to bloom in the oddest of places... Even in hell... Rated for kissy, bloody, violent, odd future chapters and MAN LUUUUST! StaynexTarrant
1. Fireside Story

AN: YES! I'M A BIG ALICE IN WONDERLAND 2010 FAN! (NO! NOT JUST CAUSE OF JOHNNY DEPP! OK, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT...) AND YES, I HAVE A FAV YAOI PAIRING ALREADY!

Btw, most of this story actually takes place around when the Hatter is the Red Queen's prisoner... The part about the kid and the 'mother' are MANY MANY years after the 'story' (aka plot of the fanfic) 'she' tells...

ENJOY!

* * *

Before the crackling fireplace she sat, sewing a torn article of clothing. Flame-orange curls framed her oddly made-up face as she perched in her rocking chair, silent. The needle she weilded slipped through cloth, closing up hole after hole. A shuffling noise was heard from across the room and she turned, looking into the dark with confusion. A small, adorable boy then came tumbling onto the rug before the fireplace and scrambled to a sitting position. Rocking back on his haunches, the toddler looked up at the woman cheerfully. "Hey mama! Watcha doing?" he asked in a high-pitched voice. The woman smiled, her mood switching from startled to calm and motherly.

"Just sewing up the pants you tore up yesturday, sweetie..."

The boy seemed to pout. "I didn't tear them up! It was the cat! I swear! He just LOVES to chew up my stuff, mama!!" he whined. The lady slightly chuckled, glancing down at the cat-hair-ridden pants in her hands.

"Right... I'm SURE it must've been the cat..." she said jokingly.

The toddler seemed to think she was serious and grinned wide. "Yeah! It was him! I wouldn't tear up my pants like that, ma! Thanks for understanding!" he seemed to cheer. Silence then dominated the room.

"Hey, mama..."

The lady turned to her son, whom was staring at the crackling fire. "Yes, sweetie?" Once again, there was silence. The boy switched his gaze to the rug and his mood got serious, as if he was thinking deeply about something.

"You know that story you said you'd tell me..? C-... Can I hear it?"

He looked up at her with a somber look, as if pleading to hear the tale. The woman smiled once more. Her beautiful pink-mauve lips seemed to have a calming effect on the boy and he grinned. "Why of course I'll tell you, dear! Why didn't you say so before!"  
The woman shifted her position in the chair and closed up another hole on the pants she was fixing, clearing her throat. As if to set up the mood, her voice changed to one of wonder and suspense.

"Once upon a time, there was a handsome knight. When he was young, he was a loyal subject of the White Queen, but, as he got older, he switched to the White Queen's sister... The horrid Red Queen... This knight's name was Ilosovic..."

* * *

MANY YEARS EARLIER:

Stayne clomped down the halls of the Red Queen's castle, a not-so-great mood written all over his face. CLOMP. CLOMP. CLOMP. His footsteps echoed in the vacant rooms, causing shivers to run up the spines of anyone nearby. Of course, the residents of the castle were all too used to the shivers for he ALWAYS seemed to be in a bad mood.

Turning quickly at the end of the hall, he rammed into a couple of the red knights and a prisoner. "Damnit! Watch where you're going, bloody inbreds!" he cursed after being knocked to the ground. However, he halted his insults as he looked up. Leaning on the wall to keep his balance after the impact was a shackled Mad Hatter. Stayne paused, having a hard time believing the Hatter himself got captured, but eventually pushed himself to his feet. The two red knight escorts quickly regained their balance and wrenched Tarrant in between them by his arms.

"S-Sorry... Ilosovic..." the Hatter whispered softly as the knights shoved him along. Stayne slid out of the way and turned, simply watching them go. Something inside told him to follow. Something that made him want to see that flash of orange again.

* * *

"Mommy, why's the knight so upset about bumping into him???"

The lady sighed, glancing over at her obviously impatient son. The boy sat still, staring up at her with interested eyes. He seemed extremly focused, as if both of their lives depended on him memorizing this story.

"You'll find out why! Let me tell the story, sweetie!" she growled playfully, leaning down and ruffling the boy's hair.

* * *

Locked away in a large room, surrounded by fabrics. That's where the Hatter was said to be in the Red Queen's castle. That something inside Stayne urged him to go there and seek out Tarrant. Some unknown thing.

He walked as fast as he could without breaking out into a run down the halls of the castle. Luckly, no one seemed to be around to watch him hurry along. The knight seemed so intent on getting there that he almost tripped over his own feet.

Finally, the knave reached the door of said room, breathing heavy and fumbling for his set of keys. Every lock in the castle was controlled by a Master Key, which he just so happened to have a copy of. Stayne quietly slipped the silver key into the lock and turned it, attempting to muffle the metalic clicks. Slowly and silently, he opened the door and returned the key to his belt, peeking in the huge room.

Withen was a world of color. Ribbons of sunset displayed in neat rolls. Feathers of the ocean perked up in a glass vase. Shimmering silver sewing needles just cried to be used. Cloth of the world all around the room, some in neat organized piles and some thrown lazily about the floor. And yet, in all this wonder, the Hatter was nowhere to be seen.

The knave stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him, and observed the cornacopia of color, not even noticing the other man's absense. He just stared at the tiny world of wonder that was locked away in this castle. The only time he'd seen so much color was in the White Queen's gardens.

Suddenly, there was a crash and he seemed to jump out of his skin, yelping slightly. Whipping towards the source of the noise, he spotted the Hatter struggling with a large box of... something... Whatever it was, it was definatly metal. Medalions? Charms? Maybe even scissors?

No matter the object, Tarrant seemed to be having a hard time carrying the huge box and had accidently spilled some of the metal contents on the floor. Cursing under his breath, the man was forced to drop the huge box and return the objects to it. Stayne seemed to hover across the distance between them and easily lifted the box when the Hatter was about to lift it again. The Hatter slightly jumped at the sight of Ilosovic seemed to freeze up for a second.

"H-How long have you been in here??"

The man's voice was shaky and suspicious, as if Stayne had come to execute him or something of the sort. The knave simply smirked. "Not long... In fact, I was only just admiring your work here when I heard the crash..."

Ilosovic carried the box to the table in the center of the room, ploping it down upon the sturdy wood. The Hatter quickly shuffled over and rummaged through the box, pulling out a red metal heart pin. He seemed to slide over to a life size foam model of the Red Queen's head, upon which was a lovely bonnet in progress. Pink lace trimmed red plaid cloth, accented by red and white satin ribbons. Tarrant quickly pinned the heart just above where the right ear would be on the bonnet and looked over the peice of work.

Fluffing up the lace on one side, the Hatter seemed to be mentally critiquing the bonnet and continued to make adjustments as he saw fit. Stayne watched him closely. Observing the movements of those gentle, bandeged hands. Noticing how his hips suddenly pivoted to the right whenever he didn't like something. Staring into those deep emerald eyes...

"What is it you came for, anyway..?"

The knave snapped back to reality, a shocked look on his face. He caught a slightly annoyed look from the Hatter, whom seemed to notice his interest. The man continued to work, eyes locked on the plaid cloth, and yet he was able to divert some attention to conversation. Stayne paused, not really sure what to say...

"Her Majesty instructed me to check up on you periodically to see if you were still doing your job and not planning anything behind her back... Such as an escape plan..."

Of course, all of that was a lie. The Red Queen had no idea that her knave was chatting with the Hatter at this very moment. Stayne, however, was her most trusted soldier, so anything he mentioned about her orders was believed even if it was indeed false.

However, the Hatter froze up for a second and glanced over at him, a pang of fear sensable in his eyes. "An escape plan?" Suddenly, he seemed cheerful again. "Who would be mad enough to plan out an escape from this castle behind the Queen's back?? They wouldn't make it past the walls!" His voice was extremly convincing, yet Stayne didn't buy one bit of it.

"You... as she believes..."

Tarrant froze up once more, hips caught in mid-pivot as he'd spotted something imperfect on the bonnet before him. The knave stood up straight and brushed off some imagenary dust from the front of his armor, looking the Hatter over once more. "However, I do believe she maybe be a bit too suspicious... I mean, like you said, the only people who were mad enough to try and escape were all killed." he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "You may find their heads floating amongst those in the mote..." The Hatter seemed like he'd never move again, eyes staring into space. Slowly, he turned to the knave, watching as he strode towards the door. Stayne paused, his hand on the knob. "Ilosovic..." The soft voice carried across the room, seeming to bless his ears with such a lovely, sound. He let his hand slide off the knob and turned to Tarrant, a questioning look on his face.

Standing solemnly and alone, the flame-haired hatter seemed to be biting his lip, hesitant to say anything more. This time, his hips pivoted to the left as he shifted he weight to one foot. "Yes?" Stayne answered. Tarrant looked into his deep dark eyes, seeming to pierce his soul from across the room.

"Why did you leave the White Queen?"

Silence seemed dominant for quite a while as the two locked stares. The knave finally broke his gaze and let it slip down to the cloth-littered floor. "I'm afraid, Tarrant..." he said, drawing out the silence a bit more. "... that such a tale should be saved for another day..." With that, he turned and grabbed the doorknob.

"What do you mean another day?!"

The knave forced open the door, trying to block the questioning voice behind him out of his mind.

"Stanye!"

The door slammed shut and Ilosovic's sprinting footsteps could be heard echoing down the halls of the castle.

* * *

AN: Ok, that was one bitchin' intro...

I must admit, I'm kinda proud of myself... I tried adding a litte more details to their voice descriptions and the scenary and- HOLY CRAP IT'S 12 AM!!!! D: HOW COULD I MISS THAT?!??!

Alright, bed time for me!!

R & R!!!


	2. The Dormouse Guide

AN: Yahs! Time to continue said wonderful story!

Btw, I edited the first chapter a total of about 6 times! I make so many typos!! AAAAAAAARGH! I had to keep redoing the chapters… So if your email is filled with notices for chapter 2, I'm sorry…

PS: the lack of Hatter muchness is because of said capture... How would you feel if you had to kiss the ass of someone you've been trying to kill for years and have to MAKE SHIT FOR HER in a locked room. ALL ALONE. And when you were done and made nice stuff for her, SHE THREW YOU IN THE DUNGEON. I'd lose my muchness too! D: But Stayne plans on changing that...

Anyway, ENJOY!

* * *

The woman stared into the fire, a solemn look on her face, as if she were thinking deeply. The boy cocked his head to the side, confused as to why his mother seemed upset. "Mama? What's wrong?" His mother looked over at him and smiled, as if to hide her thoughts.

"Nothing dear…"

* * *

Morning in the Red Queen's castle. Servants rushing around, completing their duties. Loyal subjects striding around the courtyards. The Queen herself was not around, however, for she was probably sleeping late. Within the prisons, slaves and captives quietly prayed for an escape or groaned with pain. Only one captive remained silent.

Tarrant Hightop sat quietly in his dark, dreary cell, observing those in neighboring cells. Those piercing green eyes seemed to see straight through the other prisoners souls, causing them to shift uneasily to the far side of their cells. After freaking out most of those around him, the Hatter sighed and stared down at the ground, twirling his hair around a finger with boredom. The entire prison was dead silent except for the poor tortured souls in the far corners, whom were still groaning with pain and agony. It remained as so, until the guards came down to commence their morning shifts.

Loud footsteps descended the old, creaking stairs and many of the captives jumped with fright, shifting around in their cells. Flame-orange curls remained perfectly still, however, even though a pair of red knights stepped up to the cell door. Out of the dark, from behind the knights, a very tall person seemed to suddenly appear. Shoulder length ebony hair framed his face, yet the darkness concealed the person's identity. Tarrant perked up, staring straight at the unknown man with curiosity.

One of the knights unlocked the door and wrenched it open, stalking in the cell. The Hatter silently stood, submissively holding out his shackled wrists. The knight grabbed his shackles and seemed to drag him from the cell. Close up, the unknown person's identity was now recognizable. Tarrant found himself looking up at none other than Ilosovic Stayne.

"Sorry for dragging you out of this hellhole early…" the taller man said with a reassuring smile. The Hatter, however, was skeptical of his actions and gave him a questioning look. Stayne then gently took the shackles, glaring at the red knight. "I'll take him from here…" The knight let go and backed off, as if intimidated by the glare. The knave gently guided the Hatter over to the stairs, seeming to coax him up each step. Tarrant kept his eye on the man the entire time, almost not believing that he was being so nice. Once out of the prison, Ilosovic then began to guide the Hatter over to where they'd witnessed the world of color the night before. For the entire trip, both were dead silent.

Finally, they reached Tarrant's work room and the knave brought out his ring of keys. Unlocking the door, he swung it open and stepped aside, as if to let the other man. The Hatter looked at him with a confused look for a second, but ended up walking in the room anyway. Stayne followed and shut the door behind them. He looked around the room for a second, appreciating the colors once again. The knave then whipped out his keys again and removed the shackles from the Hatter's wrists. For a second, their hands touched and Ilosovic froze. Tarrant, however, wasn't phased and simply turned away, striding to his work table.

Stayne let his hands fall to his sides and watched as the Hatter looked briefly over his materials. Though gentle at first, the knave's heart began to beat faster and stronger as if enjoying what he saw as well. "This is your chance..." he heard a little voice say. Ilosovic spun around, looking for the source of the tiny noise. Tarrant had obviously not heard and glanced over at him with a confused expression. Stayne caught a glimpse of the look and blushed slightly.

"I'd thought I heard something..." he said, as if to excuse his actions.

The Hatter went back to his work, occasionally glancing at him as if he were the mad one. Ilosovic sighed slightly and strode silently towards the door. "Come on, don't tell me you're gonna chicken out!" There it was again! He froze and glanced around, starting to believe Tarrant's madness was rubbing off on him. The knave wrenched open the door and slipped out of the room, shutting it behind him. Pressing his back against the door, he sighed and shook his head.

"Please tell me I'm not going mad..." he whispered to himself.

"Oh! Of course you're not!" The voice again!

Stayne whipped around, now looking up at the ceiling to see if anything was there. "Down here." The knave glanced down at the ground and spotted none other than the dormouse. She smirked at how irritated he now looked. "It must be embarrassing for someone as tall as you to be scared by the voice of a dormouse..." she giggled. Ilosovic grimaced and went down on one knee, bending lower to take a closer look at her. The tiny critter scampered over to him and climbed up on his now outstretched hand. The knave then stood, observing the tiny creature sitting in his palm.

"What's your name, rat..."

The dormouse's smirk suddenly disappeared, replaced with a scowl. "Mallymkun and I'm a mouse not a rat!" she hissed. Stayne rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, cause there's so much of a difference..."

The tiny critter suddenly whipped out a sewing needle, pricking the knave, and leaped onto the door knob. Ilosovic drew air through his clenched teeth, making a hissing sound, and shook his pained hand. "Ow!" he cried, drawing back. "That hurt!" Mally smirked at his pain and sheathed the needle in her tiny belt.

"Well yeah. It's supposed to!"

Stayne scowled, glaring at her. "Ooh! So scary!" the dormouse cried with fake fear. She then started giggling as the knave sighed with irritation.

"What is it you want anyway…" Ilosovic groaned.

Mally leapt onto his shoulder gracefully and sat down. "Well, I don't think I want to tell you with that attitude…" She glanced up at him, haughtily perched upon his armor. Stayne rolled his eyes, sighing again.

"Alright, I'm sorry I called you a rat, now what is it…"

"Say please…"

"Ugh… PLEEEAAASE…."

The dormouse perked up, haughtiness melting away, and her voice now a whisper. "Well, I've been noticing stuff. The way you act around Tarrant. It's very… suggestive if you know what I mean…" Ilosovic froze, now just realizing how obvious his recent obsession was. "However, if you really wish to get to his heart, you're doing EVERYTHING wrong…" Mally continued. "Of course, I wouldn't really expect you to know how to court him… His preferences are very… odd…"

Stayne also dulled his voice. "So… what would you suggest I do?" he asked. The dormouse smirked.

"Well, first off, get rid of the eye patch. He tends to find it annoying when people conceal their faces. I have no idea why, but he just does."

The knave paused, tracing the edges of the patch with his finger. "B-But… Are you sure he won't get grossed out by how it looks??" He gently stroked the patch as if it were his own eye. Mally rolled her eyes.

"Of course he won't! I believe he actually finds imperfections attractive!"

Ilosovic hesitated, but eventually pulled the patch off his face and turned to Mally. The dormouse cringed slightly when she first saw it, causing Stayne to look away with embarrassment. "S-Sorry, it's just so… weird… I'm sure Tarrant will love it!" The knave slightly smiled at the reassurance and looked back at her. His left eye was completely closed, with something defiantly under it. However, the lids were sewn shut just around the eyelashes with a thin, sturdy, black wire and an ugly scar ran down it. Despite the oddness, he kind of looked cute without the patch on.

"Now for your clothes…"

* * *

"Mama! Why is the mouse helping him?"

The lady slowly turned to her son, an irritated look on her face. The boy smiled, giggling cutely. "Can I tell the story? Or will you interrupt me every time it gets good?" She said in an irritated tone. Her son burst out in giggles and she couldn't help but to smile. That giggle was exactly like her husband's and washed all anger from her.

* * *

Stayne walked down the halls of the Red Queen's castle once more, heading to Tarrant's workroom. Her armor was gone, so all he had on was a tight long-sleeved, black turtle-neck shirt and a pair of loose, black pants. Mally sat cheerfully upon his shoulder, looking him over once more. A small smirk appeared on her face, as if she was starting to enjoy what she saw.

She'd forced him to return to his quarters, shower and change into different clothes, forbidding him to use any hair products. So his natural, black locks shone brightly in the nine 'o' clock sunlight, almost knocking out the vision of those around him. The black shirt clung tightly to his torso and arms, only loosening up on his flawless neck. His pants hugged his hips and perfect thighs but swished serenely around his calves and ankles.

Mally stood and pushed his bangs out of his face around the lame eye and behind his left ear, helping him show off an earring she'd put in for him. A ruby carved in the shape of a heart and set in silver. A gift from the Red Queen, so it wasn't Mally's first choice, but it was absolutely beautiful. Finally, they reached the door to Tarrant's workroom and the knave stopped so hard Mallymkun almost fell off his shoulder.

"Alright, now for the fun part…" she giggled once she'd scrambled up in her previous position on his shoulder. Stayne looked over at her.

"Fun part??"

His nervous voice made Mally frown. "Ok, first thing. BE CONFIDENT. I never want to hear that nervous tone AGAIN!!" she scolded, causing him to flinch slightly. "Second! Go along with Tarrant's madness. He seems to REALLY like that. People who ignore of blow him off for his madness are often found on his hit list when he's upset…" Stayne looked away, slightly upset by the fact. "Third, keep a smile on your face. Grin every once in a while. Show off those pearly whites! Give me an example." The knave looked over at her, giving an example smile. "Good! Now fourth! If he makes a joke, laugh no matter how ridiculous it is! Most likely, you'll laugh anyway cause he's quite good at joking around. But, for the love of god, don't laugh like a nerd. Make it deep and MANLY!! Afterwards, it'd be good to look at him with a coy smirk, like the bad boy you are…"

The knave slightly blushed at the look she gave him and turned away. "Fifth!" she continued. "ALWAYS KEEP EYE CONTACT unless he's showing you something of course… Other than that… good luck!" She patted the back of his neck and suddenly leapt into his turtle-neck collar. "I'll be here to see how you do and if you need any tips!" Stayne had to keep from giving in to his ticklishness she shifted around inside the collar, holding back laughter. "Alright! Let's go!" she whispered.

Ilosovic looked over at the door to the workroom, slightly nervous. Butterflies stormed around in his stomach as he unlocked it and turned the knob. He then closed his eye, to keep from freaking out, and opened the door, stepping in the room. Once inside, he shut the door and opened his eye, looking around the room. Sure enough, the Hatter was at his worktable, holding up to different colored ribbons to see which was better. Obviously, he hadn't noticed the other man till Stayne was right up at the table.

Looking up, Tarrant froze when he saw the knave, accidently dropping the ribbons. A blush crept across his face and he stepped back, looking the man up and down. "S-Stayne! How nice to see you!" he said in a cheerful tone, faking a smile. Keeping eye contact, Ilosovic smiled sweetly at him, causing the Hatter to blush even redder.

"Nice to see you too."

The Hatter then bent down to grab the ribbons he'd dropped and stood quickly, shuffling away to his current project. The blush remained on his face, seeming to pulse red. Stayne leaned on the table and watched him closely, observing his every move. This time, the Hatter was working on a hat with a wide brim, black and velvety. A black net-ish material hung from the brim and down to the wearers chin. Right now, the wearer was a foam model of the Red Queen's obscenely large head.

Tarrant glanced over at the knave, still blushing deeply. "So… how've you been…" he said, his voice shaking. Stayne smirked and locked gazes with him.

"Great and you?"

"Well, other than the fact that I'm a prisoner, quite well…"

The knave grinned, chuckling slightly. In his collar, Mally silently cheered him on and knew what the look on the Hatter's face was even if she couldn't peek over the collar to see him. Tarrant's blush had faded to a slight pink, yet the laugh of the knave made him smile. He quickly changed his posture, back arched and hips tilted towards the left. Mally peeked over the collar, seeing the change in posture and grinned. "Good!" she whispered. "That posture means he's interested! Offer to take him out of this room to somewhere such as the courtyard briefly!"

Stayne stood straight, a sly smirk on his face. "Hey, how about we get out of this room for a bit… I can't imagine how cramped you must be in here…" The Hatter now turned to him, stepping closer.

"Well, it DOES get a little boring in here all alone… Where do you suggest we go?" he said, leaning on the table towards him.

"The Queen's favorite courtyard." The knave suggested. "Not many of her subjects are allowed there alone and she often saves it for her flamingo golf competitions, so we should be alone…" He strode to the Hatter's side of the table and gently took his hand. Tarrant blushed a little deeper, gripping his hand tight. "Sounds great!" With that, they strode from the room, leaving the door open as they left…

* * *

The courtyard gate opened slightly and Stayne silently walked in, looking around. He turned toward the gate again. "Alright, it's clear. You can frolic now…" he said with a smile. As if on cue, the Hatter pushed the gate open fully and looked around the courtyard, ecstatic to be out of the workroom. The knave strode over to him and took his hand protectively. "Shall we frolic together??" he asked.

Tarrant looked over at him with a sly smirk. At once, Stayne was slightly nervous. All of a suddenly, the Hatter forcefully tapped his shoulder. "YOU'RE IT!" he cried out, quickly sprinting away. Ilosovic smirked as well and chased after the man. "COME AND GET ME IF YOU CAN!!" Laughter echoed around the courtyard as they commenced their game, following with playful taunts and insults.

"MY GRANDMOTHER CAN RUN FASTER THAN YOU!"

"COME ON! YOU CALL THAT CHASING?!"

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE PLAYING TAG, NOT GETTING A WORKOUT!"

The knave ran as faster as his legs could carry him, and yet the Hatter was faster. Every time he was about to tap him, the man leapt out of range. Stayne trying not to get frustrated and saw it not as a game but as a test Tarrant had decided to put him through. A stamina test.

Suddenly, the Hatter tripped on a rock lodged in the ground and fell gently in the grass. Like a domino, Ilosovic tripped as well, but kept himself from hitting the ground by putting his hands before him. Instead of landing on the Hatter, he was now above him. Tarrant rolled over onto his back, a cheek covered in dirt, and looked up at Stayne, now blushing deeply. The knave gripped the grass tightly as the two locked gazes, slowly leaning down towards him.

Within his collar, Mally gripped the cloth tightly, trying not to fall out. Just as the two were face to face, her tail poked out of the collar, catching Tarrant's attention. He glanced down at the tail, confused, and tugged Mally out of Stayne's collar by it. Holding her in the air, he look at her with a confused look. "Um… Hello there, hatter!" She said cheerfully. The man smiled and now it was Ilosovic's turn to blush. Tarrant looked up at him, smiling.

"So… was this your romantic guide?" he asked, motioning to Mally. Stayne nodded and the Hatter slightly giggled. "No wonder you were doing so well." He put the dormouse down on the grass the two were laying on and stared back into Ilosovic's eyes. Mallymkun smiled and inched away, letting the two have some space.

Just when the two of them were nose to nose, a noise came from the gate. Stayne looked over towards the noise and saw someone opening it. Thinking quickly, he stood, helped the Hatter to his feet and guided him to one of the huge hedges. Pushing him behind it, he glanced back at the gate, which was swung open. "Hide here for now..." he whispered to Tarrant. The Hatter gripped a branch tightly, knowing he wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place. All of a sudden, the knave gently kissed him on the cheek and went to assess the situation at the courtyard gate.

Ilosovic assumed a proper pose as he saw the Red Queen and her subjects stride into the courtyard, carrying the materials needed for flamingo golf. He smiled at her and bowed his head as she noticed his presence. "Stayne!" she cried with joy. "What brings you outside this morning?" Her sweet smile calmed his nerves for a second, the red on her lips reminding him of Tarrant's own pink-ish red ones.

The knave glanced up at the cloudless sky. "Simply the fine weather, my queen..." A pang of nervousness was heard in his voice, which the queen seemed to detect. A slightly confused look appeared on her face, but it was short-lived.

"Care to join us in a game of golf?" she offered, twirling her flamingo club.

The queen glanced down at the club and back up at him, a smirk on her face. "I'm no good at it..." Stayne sighed. "But I'd love to watch you play..." Iracebeth smiled at his offer and leaned slightly on her club, motioning to her servants to set up the playing field. A group of toads scrambled over one another to step up the holes and pass out clubs to her subjects.

The knave looked over at the shut gate, revealing his uncovered left eye. The Red Queen noticed the sewn eye and flinched a bit. "I thought you were too ashamed of that wound to show it?" she asked in a soft voice, so that her subjects couldn't hear. Stayne froze as she reached up and ran her hand across the thin wire holding his lids together. He looked down at her, spying a sympathetic look on her face. "Does it still hurt?"

"Every once in a while..."

Iracebeth then motioned for him to lean down, having to step on tippy-toes to touch the wire. Stayne dropped to a kneel so she could reach it easily. He felt her breath on his face as she gently kissed the scar. "There, now it should feel better..." He glanced at her, a sweet smile on her face, and smiled himself.

"Thanks..."

The gate then swung open again and the inhabitants of the courtyard turned towards it. An obviously nervous servant stepped out, bowing low to the Queen. "Your majesty, your presence is required in the throne room." he informed with a shaking voice. Iracebeth looked over at him, a scowl on her face. The glare sent shivers down the poor thing's spine and he stepped back. "Please, my Queen. It's urgent."

The Red Queen rolled her eyes, sighing. "Very well... It better be damn urgent..." She motioned to her subjects and they followed her out. The frogs scrambled after her, shutting the gate behind them. The knave stood, looking around for anyone lingering around. He then rushed to the biggest hedge and reached behind it. His hand touched cloth and whatever he'd touched drew back. "It's ok. It's just me. They've all gone."

Tarrant seemed to leapt out of the hedge, hugging him tightly. Stayne began to pick the sticks and leaves from the Hatter's hair and clothes when his noticed the man's grip getting tightly. "Are you alright? They didn't even know you were there... Don't worry..." he said in a sweet voice, reassuring the man. He gently stroked Tarrant's hair. With his arm, he held the Hatter close, knowing how scared he could've been. Anyone but the Queen, her subjects or her servants was executed in a very special manner if they were found in here. They were gagged and their hands bound first. Also blindfolded, they were then forced to walk across a trail of still burning coals or anything else the Queen could think of. The convicted person was never killed until they begged for it and they were often tortured into doing so. All prisoners knew of this cruel execution...

"Shush... You'll be alright..." The knave's voice seemed wipe all fear from the Hatter and he looked up at the other man, his frown turning into a slight smirk. Mally, who'd been watching from a distance, grinned wide as they finally embraced with a kiss.

"Mission accomplished." she whispered with triumph.

* * *

AN: WEWT. THAT WAS COOL. (AND LONG.)

This entire chapter was typed in school cause my home comp is busted. Hence why it took this long. Sorry guys. LOL :D I hope you enjoy the story!

R &R!!


	3. Breaking From Salazan Grum

AN: Alright, time for more awesomeness!!

Oh, and for all of you whom are wondering this, I will mention the connection to the lady, her son and the plot of the story. I'm not saying when, but you'll find out... :D

* * *

_Swords clashed_

_Heated with battle_

_Glaring dark eyes_

_A knave and his shadow_

_Exactly alike_

_No differences_

_He fought for his life_

_And yet his shadow seemed to be winning_

_One simple mistake_

_One simple slip_

_The shadow impaled him upon a sword_

_The knave seemed appalled_

_Realizing he was only mortal_

_Both suddenly melted away into cinders and ash_

_Crumbling_

_Smoldering_

_All alone_

_Alas, the ashes stirred!_

_Out of the remains of the Knave of Hearts rose something divine_

_A white knight_

_Clad in sparkling armor_

_Flashing white sword in hand_

_Dark, shoulder length hair_

_Left eye sewn up_

_The Knave of Spades was born..._

Stayne lurched up to a sitting position in his bed, caught in a cold sweat. Shivers ran up his spine and he glanced around the dark room, finding himself back in his quarters. Breathing heavy, he closed his eyes and rolled his head back onto his shoulders, trying to calm down. He ran the dream through his head once more, as if trying to interpret it. He'd been fighting his shadow, yet failed. Both of them at fallen away into ash and out of the cinders rose a divine knight, whom looked like a pure version of him. What was it supposed to mean?

The knave sighed, laying back down and staring up at the ceiling. For what seemed like hours, he thought about the dream again and again. Fighting a shadow. Falling to ashes. Rising up perfect and new. The answer seemed to be right in his face, causing him to become frustrated. He softly growled to himself, getting up and dressed in what seemed like no time at all. Into the kitchen he trudged, fixing himself a quick cup of morning tea. The mint of the tea gently tickled his tongue as he sipped it down. Leaning on the counter, Stayne scoured his mind for a meaning to the dream and why it could've possibly made him break into sweat. The far away clang of a bell then broke the silence and he jumped, glancing over at the kitchen threshold. The knave quickly finished his tea and trudged into the front room, tugging his boots on. "I really need to get an alarm clock..." he muttered to himself as he left his quarters.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Red Queen's throne room, seeming to form a halo upon the sleepy Iracebeth's large head. She yawned softly and shifted in her throne, glancing around at the servants scrambling to and fro. Her expression brightened once she spotted Stayne striding towards her. "Ilosovy!" She cooed his nickname, smiling as he bowed his head towards her. The knave kneeled down beside the throne and gently kissed the Queen's hand, smirking slightly.

"Good morning, my queen." he greeted her in a soft, smooth tone.

Iracebeth blushed slightly as their eyes met and shifted closer to him. "Morning, my lovely knave..." she said, touching his cheek gently. Stayne smiled at her soft touch and leaned a bit into her hand. He slightly sighed, noticing how similar Iracebeth's and Tarrant's hands were. Both would gently grip him with their fingers, yet keep a feathery touch at the tips. Both would softly rub him with their palms, as if giving him a comforting massage. Both would conform their hands to the sharp shape of his jawbone. Both also seemed to channel a deep love through their hands, as if they were trying to show him how much they loved him in any way possible.

"Stayne, is something wrong? You seem tense."

The knave looked up at the Red Queen, whom had a questioning look on her face. He gently shook his head. "Of course not! I'm cheerful as always!" he said, smiling. Even still, Iracebeth was determined to find out what was upsetting her love. She touched his forehead softly.

"You're warm. Are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"No, my queen..."

"Your cheeks are so pale! I think you might be sick with something!"

"I'm pretty sure that I'm completely fine."

"Your hands are so clammy! Stayne, either tell me what's wrong or I'll have the royal physicians check you out and find out what you're hiding from me!"

Iracebeth crossed her arms, a haughty atmosphere about her. With her eyebrows raised, she seemed to glared down at him. The knave sighed and finally caved in. "I had a very strange dream last night..." he admitted softly. "I've been trying to interpret it, but I've had no luck..." He looked away, staring at the ground, as the Red Queen shifted from haughty to pity. She looked down at him and touched his cheek again, gently stroking him with her palm.

"I'll call on the mystic. Maybe she can find something in the stars that will releve you of this stress..."

* * *

A small gasp caused the woman to stop suddenly and she turned to her son. "What is it, hon?" she asked him, leaning nearer and touching his cheek gently. His gaze shifted to the fireplace and his expression turned to one of deep thought.

"Daddy told me he had a dream like that once… A long long time ago…"

The mere thought of the man in the story and his father sharing a dream seemed to greatly upset the boy. He shifted his legs out from under him and sat with them crossed on the carpet, the cogs in his head obviously turning. "That's strange…" the lady muttered, hiding something from her son.

"Please go on, mum…"

* * *

Stayne shyly stepped into the star-readers office. Dark and mysterious, he wondered whether his feeling of uneasiness was intended by the look of the room. Black and a deep blue was the color scheme. Sparkling drapes hung from the wall and table, including two chairs, were spotlighted in the back of the room. Upon it, many fortune-telling-related objects. The bones of some long dead creature. A small velvet bag containing ancient runes. A dusty pack of gothic tarot cards. A folder containing daily star charts. Incense sticks and a dragon shaped burner. A big, flawless crystal ball…

Just as the knave strode over to the table, a scrawny old woman appeared next to him almost out of nowhere. Ilosovic jumped at the sight of her short, boney figure and stumbled back a bit, falling into the chair behind him. The woman seemed to hover to the other side of the table and sat down, face concealed by a draping black hood. Stayne seemed to shiver in his seat as her scratchy voice reached across the table. "I predicted you would come sooner or later… The Queen herself forced you to come, did she not?" She shook her head, answering her own question. "Well, yes, of course she did. You wouldn't be sitting here if she didn't make you…"

Stayne sat up, still slightly shivering at her appearance. He watched her run her hand over the ball, the once flawless quartz flushing an inky black. "Something clouds your mind, dear boy." The woman whispered. "Many things, actually. One thing in particular… Please, young one, gaze into the quartz…" At her command, the knave stared into the deep, dark crystal and watched as the black swirled about like writing ink. Almost at once, the ink began to swirl into a face. One all too familiar.

Ilosovic found himself staring into the eye of the Knave of Spades as seen in his dream. He yelped and slightly leapt back in his chair, appalled to see such a thing. The white knight shifted around inside the crystal, glancing up at the woman and back at Stayne. The old lady smirked, cackling a bit. "So this is what troubles you? A mere image of the future??" The man inside the ball stirred at her cackling, looking up at the other knave intently.

The woman flicked her wrist and the inky darkness inside the crystal disappeared, taking the knave of spades with it. Stayne seemed to calm down and settled back in his seat, still slightly edgy. "I figure I should tell you, now that you know…" he trailed off, looking away.

"No need to tell, dear boy. I already know everything!"

The knave glanced at her with a shocked expression. "I'm not called Lady Prediction for nothing!" she cackled, whipping out her star charts. The woman looked over a hand drawn chart, nodding and muttering to herself. "Yes. A vision from the future. Projected in your dreams." She said loud enough for him to hear.

Suddenly, she struck a match and lit the incense stick held securely in the dragon burner. Inhaling, the fumes, the woman seemed to shudder lightly. She pulled back her hood, revealing an actually gorgeous face for her age. Bright blue eyes looked up at Stayne, framed by straw-yellow hair. The knave slightly shuddered at the intensity of it and shifted farther back in his chair. "A great change will come in your career… One that will shift the tides of your loyalty…" the woman seemed to hiss, staring into his eyes. "Stay by your target of affection, no matter where he takes you… Whether it put your life or his on the line, it will be a risk you must take… This life of routine with the Red Queen is irritating your subconscious… It's telling you to do what you desire now… Take no orders from Iracebeth anymore…"

Stayne simply sat there, feeling something click in the back of his mind. This woman was right. Even since he'd met up with Tarrant in the workroom, he'd secretly been yearning for something. Something he'd thought unknown. Now he knew. The Hatter's free spirit must've ignited something inside his subconscious, causing him to have the dream. What he needed was freedom. No more living under the rule of the Red Queen. No more forcing himself to accept her affection. No more living a lie. The sudden epiphany rendered him temporarily immobile, as he was frozen in his seat.

The woman stood and strode over to him, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him gently. "Quick! You must go find Tarrant! You both must get out of here before the Queen herself finds out what I've told you!" she cried. The knave came to his senses and stood, looking over at the woman. He smiled and suddenly hugged her.

"Thank you for helping me realize my new destiny…" he whispered. The woman glacned up at him, smiling sweetly. Even in her old age, there was a beauty about her that Stayne himself couldn't seem to be immune to.

"It was never new to begin with... I foresaw this years before you were even born..."

All of a sudden, a scream echoed through the castle. "STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYNE!!" The two froze. The Red Queen had already found out. The knave burst to life, rushing from the mystic's office and bounding towards the Hatter's workroom. As he raced through the halls, he heard the footsteps of red knights. Already, he was being stalked.

The knave burst open the door to the workroom, finding more than just Tarrant inside. Alice held the Hatter's face in her hands, obviously helping him through one of his spells. The two jumped, looking over at the exhausted knave. Stayne leaned slightly on the door frame, beckoning them. "We've got to get out of here! The Queen has found out something possibly dire to her sister's victory and will most likely put all of us to death!" he cried hastily, looking at Tarrant with pleading eyes.

The Hatter broke from Alice's grasp and raced over to his knave, seeming to assess the man's condition. "What do you mean her sister's victory? What is dire??" There was no time to answer. Red knights raced down the hallway, herding the three into the workroom. Stayne drew his sword, pointing it menacingly at the cards, and pushed Tarrant behind himself, where he would moderately safe. Alice also held up the Vorpal Sword, attempting to keep the knights at bay.

"Tarrant! Think fast! How do we get out of here!"

Flame orange curls shook as Tarrant looked around the room for an escape. A secret door in the corner. He smiled and tugged Stayne. "Come on!" he cried out, racing to the door. Both Ilosovic and Alice seemed to stick to the Hatter's heels and rushed from the room. They sped down the halls of the castle, desperately trying to outrun the red knights. However, more knights began pouring out towards them from the end of the hall they were heading towards. The three of them stopped, now realizing that they were cornered. Stayne cursed loudly as the knights began to close in.

Tarrant then spied a small whistle hanging from the knave's belt. He yanked it off and blew into it as hard as he could. However, it made no noise. He also cursed, gritting his teeth. The three looked around, as if a way to escape would suddenly pop out of nowhere. "Looks like we'll just have to fight our way out of here!" The Hatter cried out, yanking a sword from one of the suits of armor hanging on the wall and rushing towards the knights. Stayne reached for him, as if to keep him back, but the man was just out of his reach when he did.

Like a domino effect, Alice and Ilosovic were forced into combat with the cards. How easily the red knights were dispatched. The Vorpal Sword slipped through their armor like a knife through warm butter. Yet, no matter how many shredded cards fell, more kept coming like an endless flow of armor and paper. Stayne was afraid they might just have to fight till they all collapsed from exhaustion.

Out of nowhere, the left side of the hall burst open and the three fighters ducted to avoid the falling chunks of wall. Two beings burst into the hallway from outside, quickly dispatching the remaining knights. Once the dust settled it was all too clear who the creatures were. The Bandersnatch and Stayne's huge black horse. So the whistle HAD worked!

Alice quickly leapt onto the Bandersnatch, whom seemed to coo in her presence, and Stayne mounted his great steed, helping Tarrant on as well. At Alice's command, the great beast's leapt through the hole in the wall and raced off into the Red Desert, leaving the frantic red knights behind…

* * *

AN: OMFG. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT GOOD.

This chapter was SO hard to write… I've been getting a bit of Writer's Block… I really hope it goes away soon… Btw, I really suck at action scenes...

Anywho, R & R!


	4. The Knave of Spades

AN: YET ANOTHER CHAPTER!

Hopefully, I'll be able to update this once or twice a week. It kinda depends on my inspiration and computer access. So yeah. :D

* * *

Marmoreal. The White Queen's splendid palace. Chalk-white marble reaching to the sky, often carved in the likeness of chess pieces. The castle seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. It's opposite, Salazan Grum, would cast a shadow of gloom over the Red Desert, making this white masterpiece look divine. Even the fields and lakes around it seemed to shimmer angelically. Such a peaceful scene could only be the work of Mirana herself. Perhaps it was her who designed the plans for the scenery or maybe she blessed them with some hidden power…

The trek across the Red Desert had taken Stayne longer than he'd thought. The full moon glittered brightly above him and was the only thing keeping him awake. Alice was just barely keeping her eyes open, laying down on the Bandersnatch's back. Tarrant, whom was leaning on Stayne, had taken to snoozing. He cuddled up into the man's cape, using it as a kind of blanket. The knave smiled as the Hatter shifted a bit, muttering something in his sleep.

The site of the white-marble palace lifted both Ilosovic's and Alice's spirits. The two stared up at the glittering castle with something between awe and delight. The knave gently nudged Tarrant. "Mmmm… What is it…" The Hatter groaned, coming back into consciousness. The moment he laid his emerald eyes upon the castle, all feelings of sleep were washed from him. "Finally…" He perked up, grinning with delight.

Alice sat up, smiling at the sight of the white marble, and gently tugged the Bandersnatch's fur, bringing it to a stop. "We should rest here. The guards will most likely be more welcome during the day, especially to you Stayne." She stated, jumping off her furry steed. The Hatter nodded, obviously agreeing with her. The knave brought his mount to a stop and also slid off to the ground, helping Tarrant down.

"She's right. At this time of night, you'd probably be taken to the prisons, despite anything I'd have to say…" The Hatter said in a soothing tone. "And it's a good thing I know of a place to stay as well…"

Tarrant motioned to the other two as if to follow him. Stayne took his horse's reins and followed the other man towards the woods surrounding Marmoreal, looking back to find Alice and the Bandersnatch trudging behind. Into the forest they disappeared, weaving through the closely knitted trees. Finally, the trio came to a little, abandoned building. It seemed to be a house, yet whomever had lived in it was long gone. A couple of windows were shattered. Most of the shingles were barely hanging on the roof. Vines crept up the sides of the building, wrapping themselves in the gutter. In its prime, the building must've been an extremely beautiful house. In the front was an extremely over grown flower garden, marble statues of chess pieces barely visible within the plants.

Stayne observed the building's exterior and hoped there was nothing as overgrown and broken-down on the inside. "You can leave the horse and the Bandersnatch in the garden. The flowers should make nice beds for them." Tarrant said, smiling. The Hatter strode up the front door as the knave removed his horse's bride and saddle, running his hand over the silver knob. He sighed, smiling, and turned it, pushing the great wooden door with some effort. Once inside, he gasped, looking around with what seemed like shock. The innards of the house, though quite dusty, had remained untouched. The gallant furniture seemed to welcome Tarrant inside. He ventured upstairs and slipped into one of the bedrooms.

A bed meant for two seemed to await him within. The Hatter strode around the room, checking to see if everything was exactly how he'd left it. Sure enough, nightgowns and casual clothing hung in the closet, some for a women and some for what seemed to be a very petite man. He slightly sighed, shutting the closet and striding over to the bed. He sat on the edge of it and glanced at the night table. An extremely dusty picture in a frame was perched upon it. Tarrant took it and brushed the dust off. Once cleaned, the picture showed a much younger Hatter and White Queen. Mirana, with barely any make-up on for a change, was sitting in the flower garden and seemed to be pulling up weeds. However, she was looking to her right, where the young Tarrant sat. He'd pulled his long orange curls back into a ponytail and was apparently helping her with the job of pulling up weeds. Yet, he also looked over at her.

Just as the Hatter was remembering that moment in time, Stayne came through the door, startling him. "Alice took the other bedroom, so I hope you don't mind if we share this one." The knave said, shutting the door behind him. Tarrant quickly put the picture face-down upon the nightstand, smiling.

"Of course I don't!" His overly cheerful tone, seemed to make Ilosovic nervous…

Stayne sat next to him on the edge of the bed. "What's up. We're miles from the Red Queen, so what's got you nervous…" he seemed to demand. The Hatter glanced over at the face-down picture and took it in his hands again, looking over the two framed figures. He slightly sighed and ran his finger across the young Mirana's cheek, remembering the time they'd spent together in this very house.

"Back when the Red Queen had taken the crown, she instructed her guards to raid Marmoreal…" Tarrant began. The knave nodded, remembering how he was instructed to run the raid itself. "The remaining guards and I took her out here, within the thick woods. Together, we built this little refuge, where she could stay and not be discovered by her sister. At the time, we'd created plenty of traps on the way here, just incase if the Red Knights ever decided to search the woods. By now, they've all probably been sprung by animals or careless travelers..."

The knave moved closer to Tarrant, wrapping an arm around him. "So just memories..?" he asked. The Hatter nodded, eyes locked on the picture. "Why didn't you say so?" Stayne chuckled a bit and planted a tiny kiss on the other man's cheek. "C'mon. Let's get some rest... I'm exhausted after that ride..."

* * *

Wind gently shifted the grass, twisting it's way through it. The fields of Marmoreal were just as peaceful as ever, basking in the morning sunlight. Birds soared through the bright blue sky, which was speckled with clouds. Just beyond the perfect fields were the thick woods. Occasionally, a deer would leapt out and gallop across the grass, making the scene look even more innocent. Just then, there was the faint sound of hoof beats...

All of a sudden, a great black horse burst from the woods. Atop it was none other than Stayne and Tarrant. The equine bounded across the fields of Marmoreal regally with a great speed, causing the Hatter to hang onto Stayne nervously. Following behind was Alice atop the Bandersnatch. The two large beasts gallivanted over the fields as if to show off to their riders. At the speed they were traveling, Mirana's castle was reached in mere minutes.

At the entrance to the castle, guards stood by silently, watching out for anything that looked like a Red Knight. Almost out of nowhere, the three travelers bounded up. Tarrant was the first to dismount, not even waiting for Stayne's steed to come to a complete stop. He had a good reason too. The guards drew their weapons at the sight of the knave, but lowered them once they noticed the Hatter. "Alright, I know you wanna gut him right now, but, for my sake, let Stayne in. He has a special meeting with the White Queen..." Tarrant said to the guards, stepping towards them.

The knave dismounted and stayed close to the Hatter, watching nervously as another guard guided his steed away to the stables. Once Alice dismounted, the Bandersnatch bounded off towards Ilosovic's horse, as if knowing where it should go. The guards reluctantly let them in. Tarrant guided the other two inside the castle, taking Stayne's arm as if he could protect him that way. "I have a meeting with Mirana?" the knave whispered to him, confused.

"Hatter!?"

The three of them looked in the direction of the voice to find none other than Mirana herself. At the sight of those bright-orange curls, she smiled and rushed over. Tarrant bowed towards her and was a little taken aback when she threw her arms around him. "I missed you! When I heard you'd been captured by Iracebeth, I'd thought the worst. Of course, I shouldn't have been worried 'cause it seems that you're alright!" The Hatter slightly blushed at her concern.

"Well, you should be thanking him for my escape..." he motioned to Stayne.

Mirana turned to the knave, a slightly shocked look upon her face. "You? But I thought-" she stopped herself. The queen smiled brightly. "Even if your motives are currently unknown to me, I still thank you greatly for saving my hatter..." Even though Stayne was a good foot taller than her, he felt tiny in her presence, as if he meant little in the world when she was around. Her gentle smile seemed to melt his still slightly hardened heart and a small smile crept across his face as well.

"Listen... I was going to talk to you about that..."

The queen glanced to one of the many doors about the room they were in. "Well, then I guess we should talk about that in private..." Her voice trailed off. "Tarrant." she said, looking over at the Hatter. "You know where my secondary meeting room is?" The man nodded. "Very well, I'll see you there. Now for YOU Alice..." Mirana stepped over to Alice, whom was currently towering over Stayne.

Tarrant took the knave's hand and guided off into one of the many halls in the castle. The knave glanced around at the scenery, memories running through his head. The days when he was once aligned with the White Queen. The nights he would spend in the courtyards, staring up at the moon. The moments when he fought for good. The times when he was too shy to tell Tarrant how he really felt about him…

Finally, they'd reached the 'meeting room'. The Hatter opened the door and peeked inside, satisfied when he found no one in the room. He swung open the door fully and the two of them stepped inside. Stayne shut the door behind him and glanced around the room. Windows lined the furthest wall, letting sunlight stream into the room. Bright white furniture seemed to add to the innocent aura. Tarrant sat at the meeting table, both shocked and happy to find a hot pot of tea awaiting him. Stayne also sat across from the man, grabbing one of the snow-white teacups and pouring himself some of the piping hot beverage. A few spoonfuls of sugar later, the two of them were gratefully sipping their tea.

The Hatter sighed with what seemed like relief and leaned back in his chair. "I haven't had tea like this in a loooong time…" he said, drawing out 'long' for emphases. "This is Mirana's best tea too… I can tell by the flavor. We must be REALLY special to deserve this…" The knave glanced down at the tea he'd been drinking with what seemed like disbelief and began to sip it gratefully. There was a moment of silence as both of them were locked in thought.

"So, how should I explain this whole… dilemma…."

By the sound of his voice, Stayne was obviously nervous about being in his former enemy's castle. Tarrant looked up at him, slightly smiling. "Just tell her what happened, as truthfully as possible. I'm sure she'll believe you…" Even still, the knave was fidgety and sighed with nervousness. "Yes, I'd also include the part about us if I were you… It'd be unwise not to tell her the entire truth about the subject…" Stayne smiled and looked over at the Hatter, sliding his hand across the table towards him. Tarrant placed his hand upon Ilosovic's, slightly blushing. "You'll be fine… I'm sure of it…"

The door then opened and the two of them whipped around towards it. Just as Mirana entered, a wave of calmness seemed to sweep across the room. Stayne relaxed withen his chair and leaned back, bowing his head towards her. The queen strode over to the head of the table and sat down, also pouring and fixing herself a cup of tea. "I assume you're enjoying my welcome-home tea, right Tarrant?" she said, a sweet smile on her face.

"How could I not? It's the best tea in all of Underland!" came the cheerful response.

There was a moment of silence as the White Queen sipped her tea, secretly observing the knave. Even under the effects of her calming spell, the man was still very nervous and fidgeted with his sleeves. Mirana placed her cup upon the table, looking the man over once more. "So, you're explination for coming here?" she asked, leaning towards him.

At that moment, Stayne tensed up, as if her words had triggered something within him. "As you may know, I was not very fond of your sister…" he began. "Yet, she loved me deeply. If I rejected her, she'd have off with my head…" The knave looked down at the table, as if trying to avoid any eye contact. "I was always to fearful to tell her how I really felt about her. However, when I found out that the Hatter had been captured by her soldiers, that fear seemed to be wiped away." Ilosovic looked up at Tarrant, whom was staring at him with what seemed like simpathy. "I no longer cared what she'd say… I didn't know it at the time, but I had found someone else to pour my life into. Someone who could truly love me and whom I could freely love back." The men smiled at eachother, a blush creeping upon Tarrant's cheeks. "But then there was the dream…"

Stayne looked over at Mirana, the smiled wiped from his face. "I can't call it a dream, exactly… But it's not a nightmare… More like a vision…" He hesitated, unsure of how to explain it. "I'd gone to one of the many mystics Iracebeth keeps prisoner to predict the outcome of battles and what not… She'd interpreted my vision as something I'd once believed impossible…" Ilosovic then sat up straight, as if to give himself a regal apperance. "She said that I would break from your sister of my own free will… and align myself with you again..."

Mirana smiled, finishing off her tea. "Well, that's quite the story." She said. "And Tarrant was technecally the spark for this change of alignment?" Stayne nodded. The White Queen then stood. "Very well. I think it's time we broke out your old armour… Your knighting ceremony should take place very soon…"

* * *

Gray, scaled armour was thrown carelessly to the floor, clanging loudly. Glinting white armour was then donned, seeming to glow with some divine aura. Metal clinked together as the wearer strode over to the mirror, sheathing an old yet gleaming sword….

The knave stood before the mirror, standing tall and proud. Clad in his old armour, he looked like a flashback come to life. He turned here and there, observing how the old armour still contoured to his high figure. It was as if he'd never changed all these years. Tarrant slipped into the changing room, unnoticed, and smiled at the sight of the man.

"The armour Iracebeth made you wear never looked as good on you as this does…"

Stayne whipped around, startled, but calmed when he saw the other man. He opened his arms, beckoning the man with the wave of a hand. Tarrant rushed over to him and brought him into a big hug. "I've waited forever for a day like this… Of course, I never thought we could ever admit our feelings for eachother…" he said. Ilosovic wrapped his arms around his Hatter and held him close, gently kissing his forehead.

"Deep down, I think I have too…" The knave's smooth, rich voice rang through Tarrant's mind, causing him to sigh with content and love.

Horns then blared outside and the two of them jumped. "The knighting ceremony! It's starting!" Tarrant cried with joy, dragging the knave from the room. The two rushed through the castle and to the queen's largest courtyard. At the entrance to the courtyard, Tarrant stopped. "It is here that I must leave you… You must walk down by yourself…" he said, staring up into the other man's eyes. They kissed and the Hatter rushed off into the crowd that had gathered.

Ilosovic sighed and felt butterflies well up in his stomach. An aisle began to form as the crowd parted, revieling Mirana and Tarrant on the other side of the courtyard. The knave silently strode over to them, kneeling down before the White Queen. In her hands was a pure white sword. She held it gently and even a bit menicingly, as if to test Stayne's loyalty even now. "Ilosovic Stayne, Knave of Hearts. You've come from Salazan Grum to inform me that you've broken away from the Red Queen to join me, correct?"

"Yes, your majesty…"

Mirana smiled then tapped both his shoulders with her sword, resting it upon the top of his head. "Very well. At this moment, let it be known that the Knave of Hearts has perished and out of his ashes rises the Knave of Spades." She lifted the sword off him. "Rise, Knave of Spades." Stayne stood, towering over her. "May you forever be loyal to your new alignment." The crowd the bursted out in cheering. Mirana then stopped the knave just as he was about to turn around. "However, before you continue with your new life, you must promise me one thing…" she whispered. Even her whispers seemed to drown out the cheering.

The White Queen looked up at him and smiled. "Take care of Tarrant for me…" She winked and let go of him. Stayne smiled, bowing his head towards her as if to say yes, and then turned his attention to his Hatter. The other man grinned and practaclly leapt upon him, wrapping his arms around him. The two hugged tightly as the crowd cheered and, eventually, kissed.

* * *

AN: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! What a great end to this chapter…

DON'T WORRY. THE BEST PART HAS ONLY JUST STARTED. IF YOU THOUGHT IT HAD A GOOD PLOT, THINK AGAIN. THE PLOT HOLES ARE ONLY JUST APPEARING.

GO PLOT HOLES!

Oh, and the Hatter demands you R & R!


	5. Frabjous Day

AN: OH BOY. ANOTHER CHAPTER. JUST WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

* * *

The woman stared into the fire, obviously upset. "This part is a bit disturbing, honey. If you don't want to hear it, I'll completely understand..." she said with a sweet tone. Still staring into the fire, she felt a lump come up in her throat. The little boy shook his head.

"No mama, I wanna hear it all... No matter how bloody it is!"

She now stared down at the carpet, a tear rolling down her face. "Very well..."

* * *

A giant checkerboard. A huge battlefield. A soft breeze. Hundreds of soldiers, both cards and people alike. Two queens in the middle of the board, one glaring at the other. On the chess piece side, a gleaming white knight. Clad in pure, chalk-colored armor, he stood bravely. None other than Stayne. The knave had on a helmet carved in the likeness of one of his favorite chess pieces, the rook. It seemed to have two purposes as of now. One, protect a vulnerable part of his body. Two, hide his identity from the Red Queen.

Iracebeth glanced at the Hatter and Alice, not noticing Stayne at first. However, her gaze eventually met him. "Who is this, Mirana? A new recruit of yours?" she spat, glaring at the white knight. Ilosovic shifted nervously as the White Queen turned to him, motioning to take off his helmet. He sighed and removed the piece of armor, letting it fall to the ground. The Red Queen gasped and stepped back, a shocked look on her face. "Ilosovvy??" she seemed to coo his nickname. The card-soldiers behind her began to shift about nervously, whispering amongst themselves.

"The Knave of Hearts? Is that really him?"

"Mirana has Stayne on her side! We'll never win this!"

Stayne stepped closer to his former Queen's army. "The Knave of Hearts is dead. Gone forever. I..." -he motioned to himself- "...am the Knave of Spades..." Iracebeth just stared at him with disbelief, as if this was all a bad dream. The knave stepped back behind Mirana, bowing his head when she smiled at him. He stood close to Tarrant and Alice, still a bit nervous about the fact that he might have to fight with the soldiers he'd been training with only the day before.

The Red Queen then turned back to her sister, sadness turning to rage. "Even if you've taken my Stayne from me, I WILL win this! The crown is MINE!" she hissed. She turned around, looking into the distance past her army. "JABBERWOCKY!" she cried out with anger, as if summoning something.

At that moment, there was a rumbling in the distance, as if something VERY large was approaching. An immense dragon then soared towards them, skimming over the two armies before finally landing near Iracebeth. The Red Queen turned to Mirana, smirking. "Where's YOUR champion, hmm?" she said slyly. The two of them looked over at Alice, whom had stepped forward. Gripping the Vorpal Sword tightly, the girl glanced up at the giant, dragon-like beast before her.

Watching on, the Hatter stepped up close to Stayne, as if trying to protect him from the Red Queen's occasional glances. The knave, however, was comparing Alice to the Jabberwocky. "Tarrant…" he whispered, a now worried look on his face. "The Jabberwocky has to be at least ten times the size of Alice! She could never slay him! This-… This is impossible!" He shifted nervously as the two champions briefly conversed. Stayne glanced down at the Hatter, whom was intently watching Alice.

"Only if you believe it is…" was the soft reply…

The two champions then leapt into battle, clashing their weapons together. The knave fidgeted slightly, still nervous. Just then, the Jabberwocky cast away Alice's sword and it landed only a few yards away from Ilosovic. Darting towards it, he grabbed the sword and tossed it to Alice, whom took it once more and continued her battle. Iracebeth simply stared at him, as if he was now a completely different person. Stayne stood up straight and smirked at her.

"STAYNE INTERVENED! CHAAARGE!!"

The Queen's armies then charged each other, swords in the air. Afraid that he'd be lost in the mob, Tarrant ran to Stayne and kept him close. Together, the two fought the Red Queen's card army. "Don't bother with their upper body!" the knave called to the Hatter. "It's heavily armored! Slash the weak chainmail instead!" He must've been right, for he was taking down twice as many cards as Tarrant was. The Hatter smirked and began to slash and stab as the cards' weak lower armor. His victims cried out with pain and fell to the ground, unable to fight any more.

Ilosovic slashed through his once fellow soldiers. The last thing most of them saw was his sewn up eye, fully exposed for all to see. Some of them didn't even attempt to fight him, still used to him being a commanding officer. He hesitated when killing them for he was still slightly used to it himself. Through all the battling, he'd lost track of Tarrant and found his way back near Mirana. The knave looked around desperately for his love, calling out for him. However, his voice apparently couldn't carry over the cries of war. He then glanced up to where Alice and the Jabberwocky just in time to see her lop off the creatures head.

"The Jabberwocky!" he gasped, smiling. "She did it!"

The beast's head bounced down before Iracebeth, ceasing the battle. The soldiers stepped closer to the severed body part, silent as the grave. Stayne moved closer to Mirana, in case one of the cards decided to continue the fight. The White Queen looked over at her sister, whom was equally full of rage and sorrow. The crown floated from her head to Mirana's, landing gently upon her hair.

"Stayne!"

Ilosovic turned and saw Tarrant running towards him from Iracebeth's side of the battlefield. Arms reaching for him and a smile on his face, the knave stepped towards him. "We won! We won!" the Hatter cried with joy, grinning like a cheerful child. "Frabjous day!"

Iracebeth glanced between the two and a look of realization morphed onto her face, as if she finally knew what they felt towards one another. The realization quickly morphed into rage and she drew a dagger from a secret pocket on her dress, humming it at Tarrant. The knave saw the glint of metal in the corner of his vision and suddenly the Hatter stopped short.

Stayne cocked an eyebrow when the Hatter stopped dead in his tracks, wondering why he would. However, his confusion turned to utter horror when Tarrant fell to the ground, revealing a blade jutting from his back…

* * *

AN: Yeeeaaaaah… I have some bad news for you all… I guess I'll give it away in the next chapter….

Don't forget to R & R!


	6. My Hatter

AN: Alright, I have bad news. VERY bad news…

But you'll find out soon… VERY soon…

* * *

"TARRAAAAAANT!"

The sorrowful cry echoed across the battlefield as Stayne rushed to the fallen Hatter, gathering him in his arms. For once in quite a long time, tears welled up in the knave's eyes and he actually began to sob. The Hatter looked up at his love, eyes fluttering, and slowly reached up, touching his face. He coughed a bit, bringing up blood and letting some of it drip down the side of his face. "Th-The blade… I think its p-"The Hatter inhaled sharply and coughed some more."-pierced a lung… and possibly something else…"

Ilosovic held the man's head up, attempting to smile. "Don't worry, my love. I won't let you die… You'll be fine!" he tried to say in a cheerful tone. However, the knave's voice cracked, making him sound awfully pitiful. Standing a ways away, Mirana was frozen to the spot, gaze locked on the feeble Hatter. Slowly, her gaze shifted over to her sister, whom seemed very satisfied.

"You…"

Iracebeth turned to find her younger sister glaring at her, fists clenched. "What is it, Mirana? Got your panties in a bunch because I hurt you're precious little Hatter?" she asked, smiling. She stood straight, with a haughty tone, and found it amusing as Alice took Mirana's arm, as if to hold her back. "Is that why you're so angry?" She gasped with realization, sarcastically of course. "I bet that's it! As I recall, you once loved Tarrant, didn't you?" Mirana froze, chills running up her spine.

"Didn't you…"

"ARGH! YOU BITCH!" Mirana wrenched out of Alice's grip and ran towards her sister, hands outstretched like claws. Before anyone could stop her, the queen promptly smacked her sister across the face with all the force she had. Everyone seemed to freeze and silence swept across the battlefield. Mirana gasped and jumped back, staring at the hand she'd slapped with. "Oh god…" she whispered. Iracebeth turned slowly towards her, gently caressing the now red area of her cheek with a hand. However, she smirked.

"Suddenly forgot your vows, hmm?"

The White Queen glared at her once more, innocence once again wiped away. "You know what's so great about things you vow not to do, sis?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. The Red Queen cocked an eyebrow, suddenly uncomfortable that her sister was getting as sly as her. "No matter what they are, you can always bend them to fit your actions… And, just so you know, I only vowed not to hurt beings that were INNOCENT or DIDN'T DESERVE IT." Mirana let her hand fall to her side. "That leaves an opening to be able to smack YOU upside the head…"

"My Queen!"

The two of them turned to find Stayne standing, a limp Tarrant in his arms. "The Hatter needs immediate medical attention… I'd like to bring him back to Marmoreal, if that's ok with you…" he asked politely, as if tears weren't still running down his face. Mirana froze up at the sight of her hatter wounded, but quickly nodded. The knave then pulled out his special whistle, blowing on it hard, and awaited his ebony steed. Mounting with his free hand, the man glared at Iracebeth before rushing away…

* * *

Tarrant gently opened his eyes, a bright light meeting them. He shut his eyes tightly before such a brightness could burn them out of their sockets, groaning with frustration. "Thank the gods, he's awake!" someone exclaimed. The voice burned through his skull, and he tried to lift his arms up to his ears in order to cover them. However, they seemed to be paralyzed and, no matter how hard he tried, they never budged. He quickly flicked open his eyes, ignoring the burning brightness, and looked around.

The hospital wing. The ER. The entire room was a sterile white and it seemed to be that and the lights that were blinding him before. A couple of doctors stood by the door, glancing at some papers they'd been holding. The Hatter glanced down to find himself in a hospital bed, bandaged up. "Every time you moved, you would bleed more… So the doctors had to immobilize your limbs…"

The Hatter looked up, his head resting on his pillow, to find an upside down image of his knave. A smile spread across his face as Stayne sat down on the bed beside him. He felt his hand grow warm as Ilosovic held it in his lap, yet he still couldn't move it. The fact that he couldn't reach up and stroke his love's face seemed to be killing him, so the knave did it for him. He lifted the hatter's hand up to his own cheek and ran it across himself. He pressed his face gently into the man's hand, closing his eyes and sighing slightly. "You know, I was so afraid I'd lost you… So afraid I'd lost the most important thing in my life." Stayne whispered, kissing Tarrant's hand gently.

Ilosovic opened his eyes again and glanced down at him, smiling. "The immobilization drug should be wearing off by now…" he said, taking both of Tarrant's hands. "Le'me help you up." The Hatter allowed the knave to pull him into a sitting position and, sure enough, he was able to move again. Tarrant balanced himself before pulling his Stayne into a hug. The two of them embraced with both a hug and a kiss.

"How long was I sleeping for, anyway?" The Hatter asked. There was a pause.

"Well, you would slip in and out of consciousness occasionally, but it's been a week and a half, overall…"

Tarrant froze, glancing down at his bandages. "You're still not completely healed, but you making very good progress…" There was something in Stayne's voice. Like a trace of a lie. Still, he smiled as his knave pulled him close. "And you better keep making good progress… or else…"

"Or else what?" The Hatter asked in a spunky tone.

"Or else I'll have to punish you…"

The room then filled with giggles…

* * *

Strolling down the halls of Marmoreal, heading for the 'hospital' wing of the castle. A gorgeous red-orangeish rose in his hand. A sweet smile on his face. The knave.

Thoughts of his Hatter ran through his head, causing such a lovely smile to brighten his appearance. The guards of the castle no longer feared him or were suspicious. In fact, they treated him like a fellow soldier now. Even though he wasn't entrusted with running the entire army like Iracebeth had let him, Mirana assigned him as one of her personal guards. Due to that, he'd gained respect throughout the castle for achieving said position. Normally, years of both training and loyalty to the Queen were required to do so, but Mirana must've sensed something about him. Something that made her entrust her very life on him…

At last, the hospital area. He began to head towards Tarrant's room only to notice that a group of doctor's rushed past him in the same direction. He was skeptical, but shrugged it off. "No…" he muttered to himself. "Tarrant was making progress… There's no way those doctor's could be heading for him…" However, once he reached his love's room, his mind was changed. The door was wide open and no one was seen inside. A note was posted on the door for visitors. "Please wait here for the patient to return. DO NOT TRY TO VISIT IN THE ER."

Stayne's blood ran cold and he froze in place. The rose slipped from his hand, petals shattering on the ground like glass. Time seemed to slip by extremely slowly as he reread the message over and over. Finally, he burst to life, springing towards the Emergency Room. His long legs carried him insanely fast through the halls, but it wasn't fast enough for him. Attempting to go faster, he almost tripped himself on his own feet. "TARRANT!" he cried out, rushing towards the ER door. Bursting to open, he froze at the sight beyond the door.

There was his love. His Hatter. Eyes fluttering. Trying to catch his breath. Writhing around on the operating table as if fighting some invisible being. Even with his body bound to said table, a knee almost knocked one of the doctors out cold. A few had to try to hold him down while the others desperately tried to find out what was happening to him. His green eyes rolled back, making his situation look like a seizure. Yet, his body wasn't twitching or moving about uncontrollably. He was just trying to flail at some invisible thing. Something that seemed like it had him by the neck. Like it as choking him.

The doctors finally seemed to notice Stayne, whom was staring at the scene with utter shock and horror. One of them took out a syringe filled with a clear liquid, holding it in the light for a second. The medic glanced down at Tarrant and stepped towards him, taking his arm. "What do you think you're doing with that…"

Ilosovic's growl reached across the room. As of now, he looked like a snarling lion whom was about to defend his favorite lioness from the hyenas. The medic remained emotionless. "Sir, we'll need to sedate him if we are to find out what's wrong!" The knave wanted to leap forward and knock the needle from his hand, but something toll him to let him bring his Hatter into a deep sleep. The man settled, striding into the room fully.

"Very well…"

The knave looked away as the syringe went in Tarrant's arm, unloading the clear sleeping drug into him. It was pulled out and thrown away. Only about 10 seconds afterwards, the Hatter began to calm, eyes still fluttering weakly, and finally fell into a deep sleep. Stayne turned back to him, watching over the doctors like a hawk. If any one of them hurt his dear Hatter in any way at all… well… he'd rather not think about that…

* * *

The study had been commenced. Stayne sat by the operating table, watching over his love. Gently, he stroked the unconscious man's cheek. Suddenly, the White Queen herself burst into the room, slightly panicked. "My God, Stayne! What happened to him!" she cried out, rushing to her Hatter's side. The knave swallowed a lump in his throat, unsure of what to tell her. "Please tell me! I'd rather know bad news than nothing!"

"It turns out, that blade your sister had… It was poisoned… I'm afraid there's little chance he will make it…" Was the solemn response.

Mirana froze, looking down at the sleeping Tarrant. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "Also…" She turned to Stayne, whom was currently looking down at the floor. "Something interesting came up…" His tone got her nervous.

"What it is?"

"Mirana… I have no idea how this happened, I can assure you that…"

"STAYNE. WHAT HAPPENED…"

"Tarrant's somehow… pregnant…"

The scene froze. The White Queen simply stared at him as if the knave was lying. She blinked, glancing down at the Hatter's stomach and back up at Stayne. "Bullshit…" she whispered, astonished. The knave motioned to Tarrant's lower stomach, as if asking her to feel for herself. Mirana ran her hand over the man's abdomen, gasping when she felt a previously unnoticeable bulge and something moving around inside. Drawing her hand up to her face, she stepped back. "Oh my god…" A smile slowly spread across her face as she began to realize what a miracle this was.

"Sadly… "-Mirana's face fell-"… he may never live to carry the poor thing another day…"

Stayne looked up at her, a tear running down his face. "He's dying Mirana…" his once serious tone broke. The voice of a sad little boy. A child whom had lost something dear to him. "He's dying… and, for once, I can't save him…" The knave looked down as his love, something between terror and sorrow on his face. "He's my reason to live… and I'm losing him…" The White Queen strode over beside him and hesitantly put her hands on his big shoulders, as if to comfort him.

"My Queen!"

Mirana turned to the doctor whom had called her. "If we don't operate now, the child could be lost as well as Tarrant! We need a foster mother!" Another hospital bed was pulled up beside the operation table in preparation for the child's transfer. The queen stared at the Hatter's lower abdomen again, as if she could look through at the child itself.

"I'll do it…"

Her voice echoed through the room, causing everything to go silent. She strode over to the hospital bed and laid upon it. "I'll be the foster mother…" She stared up at the ceiling, thoughts flowing through her. Slowly, her gaze turned to the unconscious Hatter, who's peaceful look gave her confidence. She smiled and shifted in the bed.

"B-But my Queen-"

"Do it…"

Reluctantly, the doctors instructed an astonished Stayne to wait outside and fitting her with hospital robes. Mirana glanced over once more at her Hatter. Her previous love. The man whom had once been hers. She reached over to him and ran her finger through those flame-orange curls one last time, like she'd once done many years ago. "Since your heart has already been taken…" she whispered to him. "…this shall be my ultimate convey of love… Hopefully, you'll awake and realize it before your time is up…" A tear rolled down her cheek, accompanied by a wavering smile. "I hope you'll never forget… that I still love you…" The doctors then moved in, giving her a dose of the sleeping drug as well. The last thing she saw before going out cold was a subconscious smile once unnoticed on the Hatter face…

* * *

AN: Yes… Tarrant was indeed preggers… Yes, Stayne's the daddy… And yes, Mirana still holds a SPESHUL place in her heart for her Hatter. D'aaaaaaaaaaaaaw…

I'm sorry… but… well… I think I shouldn't spoil for you… ;)

PLEASE R & R! THE LAST ONE WAS FOR LIKE CHAPTER 4 OR SOMETHING! AAAAAAAAAARGH!


	7. Mommy Says He Loves Me

AN: YAHS. REVIEWS. I FEEL LOVED.

Anywho, I can't say what'll happen to the hatter here… You'll just have to find out… ;)

* * *

At last. The time was up. All the moments she'd been waiting had paid off. It was done. Over with.

The operation was successful.

Mirana groaned, forcing her eyes open. The brightness didn't bother her, for she was used to it, and glanced down at her stomach. Looking down her hospital robes, she found a row of stitches crossing her lower abdomen. Smiling, she stroked the bulge gently, as if attempting to cradle the child inside. Slowly, she sat up with the help of the doctors and glanced over at the Hatter, whom was also awakening.

Tarrant looked around, his gaze resting upon the White Queen. "What happened?" he whispered feebly, coughing a bit as well. Stayne was let in the room just then, since the operation was over and done with. "Stayne!" he cooed. The Hatter's expression brightened at the sight of his knave and he reached for him. Ilosovic rushed over to him and the two embraced with a hug. Mirana's smile faded at the sight of them loving each other and looked down at the ground.

The knave sat on the edge of the bed and gently helped the Hatter into a sitting position. "How're you feeling?" Stayne asked him. Tarrant was about to answer, but something seemed to stop him. His eyes fluttered once more and he leaned on the taller man for support. Ilosovic felt the man's neck, astonished to find a struggling pulse. "Tarrant?" he said, a bit panicked. "Are you alright?" The White Queen looked on, wanting to help her previous love but knowing that it was his time. The knave turned to the doctors. "He was fine just a minute ago! What's happening?" he cried.

"I don't know exactly… But it seems that…" the youngest stammered. "I'm afraid he's… lost the will to live…"

Stayne froze, his blood running cold. He looked back down at his love. He held him tight, as if to prevent him from slipping away. Tears welled up in his eyes once more. Somehow, he knew this would happen. There was no way anyone could've survived such a poison. He knew that, sooner or later, his Hatter would slip away. "Is Victor alright?" Tarrant's rasp whisper.

"Victor?"

"You're son. Is he alright?"

Mirana inched closer. "Yeah." She added. "He's fine." The queen rubbed her stomach gently as if to add to her statement. Tarrant turned to her, gaze shifting from her face down to her lower stomach. He smiled, eyes fluttering.

"Oh good…"

Arms still wrapped tight, Stayne bit his lip. "Does it hurt?" he asked. The Hatter shook his head. With that, the knave slightly smiled. At least his love wasn't in pain. At last, he seemed to accept the fact that he was losing him and loosened his grip on the man. "Tarrant…" he started, voice occasionally breaking. "Why is a raven like a writing desk anyway…" The two locked gazes, both with smiles on their faces due to the other's presence.

"I…" The Hatter whispered. He gulped down a lump in his throat and forced himself to speak a bit louder. "I haven't the slightest idea…"

With that, Tarrant closed his eyes and rested his head on Stayne's shoulder. The knave held him close, trying not to notice the fact that the other mans breath was getting shorter and body was going limp. A smile on his face. Tears rolling down his cheek.

At that moment, someone traveled to heavens in the arms of a one-eyed angel…

* * *

The funeral progression. A long line of sobbing and sorrowful beings. Some forest animals solemnly watching along. A group of unaware animals saw the event and became curious, inching closer. Together, they waited and looked for the casket, wondering whom had perished this time. The critters within the group; The Cheshire Cat, The March Hare and The Dormouse. Mallymkun leapt up and grabbed Chessur's tail, climbing onto his back to get a better look. She just so happened to be the first to see inside the casket.

The poor thing stood, frozen to the spot, and gawked at the person laying in the casket. The March Hare and Chessur also got a good look. The rabbit's face fell with sorrow and he looked away, unable to bear such a sight. The cat, however, gasped and simply stared, unable to believe such a thing had happened. Laying peacefully in the casket was none other than Tarrant. Chessur gently returned Mallymkun to the ground and suddenly flew above the group of people, looking for one in particular.

Stayne, whom was trudging along in the front, walked by Mirana, whom was on the verge of tears. He felt tiny paws on his shoulders and looked around, jumping a bit when he spotted Chessur. The cat glared at him, obviously pissed. "Ilosovic, what happened to him!" he cried softly, as to not disturb the others around him. The knave looked away, not really wishing to tell him. For once, Chessur was not wearing his trademark grin, but frowning. "STAYNE." He said in a demanding voice, floating along with the man. "WHAT. HAPPENED."

"I'll explain when we get to the grave site, ok!" Ilosovic softly growled.

Satisfied, Chessur followed the knave…

* * *

Hightopp village. The birthplace of the Queen's Hatter. Also soon to be resting place of the last remaining Hightopp. The old, dead trees reached to the sky like the gnarled hands of mourning widows, grieving the death of the last Hightopp. The funeral progression trudged upon the ashy ground into the Hightopp graveyard, stopping a newly dug grave. The casket was then closed and place just before the six foot hole. A priestess stood, reading off some things from a religious Hightopp book. Her words seemed to make the entire group sob even more. Finally, Mirana broke down, sobbing loudly into Stayne's shoulder.

The entire ceremony went by quickly for the knave, in which most of the time he simply gazed at the closed casket. Before he knew it, most of the party had gone and a couple of gravediggers were working on lowering the casket in the six-foot hole. Chessur rested on Stayne's shoulder, also staring at the casket solemnly. For the entire time, he never noticed the hat Ilosovic was holding…

Stayne looked over at the cat, breaking both of them from their trance-like state. "Chessur…" he said hesitantly. "Tarrant… He wanted you to have this…" The knave held up the hat he'd been holding. A handmade replica of Tarrant's own hat, just the right size for the cat too. Chessur stared at it, a paw subconsciously held to his chest as if to show he was deeply touched.

"H-He made this? For me?" The cat whispered, taking the handmade accessory.

"He'd made it a while back… before I even came to Marmoreal…"

Chessur held the hat gently, as if it were a living being, and simply gazed at it. He held it like it was a piece of the Hatter's soul. Something he could remember the man by. His eyes welled up with tears, but he wiped them away. He put on the hat gently, placing it just right. "Now, I have my own sweet hat…" he whispered to himself. "I will never thank you enough, Tarrant…"

Just as the casket hit the bottom of the hole, a wave of magic seemed to sweep through the Hightopp village. The three of them jumped, looking around to find that the ash had transformed into grass and the once mourning, widow trees were sporting leaf buds. From beyond the graveyard, tiny bunnies were seen hopping around. Ginger colored bunnies.

They leapt the graveyard fence and hopped over to the grave itself, looking down into it. The clouds above them parted, revealing the gorgeous blue sky. Stayne smiled, glancing up at the sky. "Only Tarrant…" he said. "Only someone like him could conjure up something like this…"

The bunnies then began to leap atop one another, stacking up to make something. There was a flash of light and the baby bunnies disappeared, revealing something entirely different. An angel. Large white wings. Flowing, sky blue clothing. Gorgeous flame-orange hair. Piercing green eyes. The Hatter.

Tarrant looked upon the three of them, smiling. His gaze rested upon none other than his love and he stepped closer. All around his feet, flowers popped up from the ground, curling around the grass or reaching for the newly revealed sky. "It was quite smart of you to bring me here…" the angel's divine voice, echoed through the grave yard as he glanced around. "This place was once loaded with dormant magic… only the released spirit of a noble Hightopp could restore it to its former beauty…" He curled his bare toes into the grass, smiling with content. "You know… I almost forgot how beautiful this place could be before…" He then frowned, his face falling as he remembered the past. "Before the Jabberwocky attacked…" Just a hint of a Scottish accent was hear at the word Jabberwocky, as if he still harbored a hatred for the beast.

Stayne stepped towards him, leaving Chessur to comfort the still slightly sorrowful Mirana. "So…" the knave started, his features going soft at the sight of the angel. "You'll have to move on soon, hmm..?" The Hatter looked up at him, smiling, and nodded. A moment of hesitation separated the two, until Tarrant broke it by throwing his arms around his knave. His large, white wings slightly wrapped around Stayne as well, as if to protect him from anything nearby. Ilosovic held the divine being tight, not wanting him to leave.

"Sadly, I'll have to go to the heavens in a bit… The travel with be quite tiring… So I think I'll rest with you for a moment…"

The two lovers locked gazes, such adoration between them. So much emotion, flowing from one into the other and back. All through a hug. And a kiss. The moment they kissed, flowers and other various plants burst forth from the ground, wrapping around them to form a sort of thicket of color. The plants weaved together, reached for the sky and incasing the two in love. Once the two of them broke apart, the flowers and vines ceased their growth.

In the middle of the graveyard was now a huge thicket of gorgeous flowers. No longer sobbing, Mirana stepped towards it, ignoring Chessur's attempts to hold her back. Leaving the floating cat behind, the White Queen strode up to the intertwined plants, stroking a leaf here and there. Pushing some branches aside, she slipped inside the thicket. As if letting her through, the flowers parted a bit and Mirana was able to slip into the middle of the thicket. Inside was a small clearing, about five meters in diameter. Smack dab in the middle was something quite odd. Two marble statues, locked in an embrace. Both now sporting large, angelic wings. Eyes both closed. Foreheads touching. A smile on their faces. Stayne and Tarrant.

Mirana stepped forward, arms hanging by her sides naturally. She looked over Stayne's statue and noticed that he no longer wore the clothing he'd had on during the funeral. Currently, a flowing, roman-like robe was carved in great detail into the marble, quite similar to Tarrant's attire. So, this was their final resting place. Two marble statues in the safety of a thicket. Sun suddenly streamed through the flowers above, casting what looked like a halo upon them, a sign that they'd finally found peace. She suddenly felt something kick in her low stomach and looked down to see what looked like a tiny hand press from underneath her skin. Smiling, she pressed area of her stomach up to the Hatter's statue. She could've sworn that the smile on the statue got wider as she did so. "Mommy says he loves you, Victor…" Mirana whispered, cradling the tiny bulge.

* * *

The entire room was silent…

"So… It's true then…" The lady looked back at her son, whom was staring up at her with disbelief. "Auntie Mirana always said you two had passed away… but I never believed her…"She stood and strode over to the boy, kneeling beside him.

"Yes, honey…" she cooed in a motherly tone. "Auntie Mirana was right… Me and daddy are actually angels… It's a miracle in itself that we've been able to spend so much time with you…"

Footsteps were heard and the door to the room suddenly opened. There stood an appalled Mirana. The young thing looked like she hadn't aged a day since the funeral. She stared at the angel with disbelief, mouth slightly agape. "Tarrant… You came back?"

The angel stood, wings now unfurling. "Briefly…" the Hatter said, striding to the window. "I'm sorry for the sudden appearance, but I must go…" With that, he leapt out of the open window and into the night. Wishing to see her Hatter one more time, Mirana scooped Victor into her arms and raced from the building, rushing after Tarrant's soaring figure. She called his name, yet he didn't seem to hear her and headed to the Hightopp graveyard.

Ignoring the pains in her legs, Mirana raced after the angel to his destination. Night enveloped the graveyard and the only thing that seemed to be giving off light was the thicket. The great white moonflowers seemed to be shimmering with their own phosphorescent light. The angel soared into the center of the thicket, not making any noise as he seemed to ram into the gentle foliage. The White Queen and her 'nephew' raced into the thicket and navigated to the middle. Inside were the same two statues, yet in a different position. Stayne was on his knee and taking Tarrant's hand in his own, lips pressed to those delicate fingers. The Hatter seemed to be giggling at the knave's actions and held his free hand to his lips. His wings were folded neatly against his back, as if they too were giggling.

The boy walked up to Tarrant's statue and touched were he'd touched before he was even born. "Mommy says he loves me…"

**THE END.**

* * *

AN: Yeah, I know what you'll say…

'WHAT A SUCKY ENDING CD. GAWD YOU SUCK. WTF. WHY DOES EVERYONE IN YOUR STORIES HAVE TO DIE. GAAAAAAAAWD.'

Sigh…

I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD, OK. IT'S BETTER THAN I ORIGINALLY CAME UP WITH. I WAS JUST HAVE THEY LIVE A BORING OLD HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY STORIES END LIKE THAT! IT'S SO BOOOOOOORING.

Anywho, PLZ R & R!


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